PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JUNE 22: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is escorted off the field by training staff after injuring himself while running the bases as Willy Adames #27 of the Milwaukee Brewers looks on during the first inning at Chase Field on June 22, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Listen, not all of us can go pro and pull down Tom Brady money and buy your Mom one of these houses in Naples. But if you love sports, there are still some amazing jobs out there for you. Sure, a kinesiologist isn't going to have all the groupies that a professional soccer player has, but think off all the fun trying to explain to everyone what a kinesiologist does. Plus you'll be working with athletes. And that's the point here.
Some of these jobs you'll recognize if you pay attention to what some college athletes list as their major. Most college players will never go pro, but that education can last a lifetime. And by continuing to work with athletes you're still around the game you love. I'm just gonna hit the basics here, if you want super detailed analysis, check out Zippia.
So let's get you in the game with these sports jobs.
Sports Medicine Physician
Average Salary: $193,947 per year
Players get hurt, someone who understands exactly what their bodies need is essential. You're gonna need medical school for this one.
Sports Psychologist
Average Salary: $72,365 per year
Someone who helps the players deal with the pressure and stress. Get that bachelor's degree if you want to work with big name players.
Physical Therapist
Average Salary: $69,890 per year
Rehab. You'll need 3 to 7 years of education + need to be licensed by the state in which you practice.
Sports Broadcaster
Average Salary: $69,878 per year
Most have a bachelor's degree, and you're gonna need to network and make connections if you want to make the serious money. Joe Buck makes around 12 million a year and I turn the sound down when he calls games.
Kinesiologist
Average Salary: $61,581 per year
You work with clients on specific exercises tailored to them and their profession. Kind of like a personal trainer, but with a degree and a bigger paycheck.
Sports Photographer
Average Salary: $49,482 per year
College isn't required but there's a huge learning curve + the need for expensive equipment.
Sports Editor
Average Salary: $48,200 per year
Write, research, and talk about sports ALL THE TIME. To be taken seriously though, you'll need a bachelor's.
Coach
Average Salary: $47,565 per year
Put all that knowledge out there and teach others.
Referee
Average Salary: $43,540 per year
A rough gig. You either go unnoticed or you're hated. If you can handle it, this might be for you. You can get started with no education, but getting a degree will help you land the bigger gigs.
Athletic Trainer
Average Salary: $42,310 per year
You'll need a bachelor's degree to be taken seriously, and a masters if you want to work with the top pros.
Sports Statistician
Average Salary: $41,089 per year
The stats. Stats are becoming more and more invasive into broadcasts and in coaching. Someone needs to write the code to create the stats AND to decipher what they all mean. Math nerds, gonna need a bachelor's if you want to work with the big clubs.
Sports Reporter
Average Salary: $40,778 per year
Not just the ones on tv, there's radio, print, and lots and lots of web articles need written. A bachelor's will get you taken seriously, but you'll need to earn clout from there.
Personal Trainer
Average Salary: $38,768 per year
From the local gym to the biggest named players, someone needs to be there providing the routine and the motivation.
Athletic Scout
Average Salary: $36,335 per year
Your job is to discover talent.
Sports Nutritionist
Average Salary: $34,586 per year
Tell athletes what they can and cannot eat.
